April 10, 2015

Formed in late 2014, Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission has been looking at applying ecofiscal thinking – policies which encourage beneficial economic activities and reduce those we don’t want – to some of our country’s most pressing challenges. On April 7, the Commission, which is made up of top economists and guided by senior political, business and environmental leaders, released its first report, The Way Forward: A Practical Approach to Reducing Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The report explores two main themes: the importance of implementing carbon pricing and the considerations needed for policy design.

April 8, 2015

Discussions about energy use are a lot like nutrition conversations. Both are often about changing our habits. And if they aren’t working for us, we usually change routines in order to achieve a better outcome.

March 27, 2015

With the energy industry still working through the impacts of fallen oil prices, the theme of the World Heavy Oil Congress could not be more appropriate: doing more with less. Suncor’s Mark Little, executive vice president, Upstream filled the role of honorary chair for this year’s congress. Through his opening remarks and by participating in a panel, Mark discussed topics such as the current economic climate, importance of technology and innovation, and maximizing market access.

Prior to the congress, Mark sat down and shared his thoughts on long-term industry competitiveness and the contributions the energy industry makes to the Canadian economy.

March 20, 2015

Suncor’s president and CEO Steve Williams recently spoke at the inaugural Positive Energy Conference in Ottawa. Co-hosted by the Ivey Business School and the University of Ottawa, the event was attended by over 100 senior leaders from the energy industry, government, academia, aboriginal communities, NGOs and the non-profit sector.

Suncor’s involvement with the conference is just one more example of how we’re participating in conversations and collaborative initiatives that contribute to our shared energy future.

March 19, 2015

It seems every facet of Canada’s energy discussion is in constant motion. Development aspirations rise and fall with commodity prices. Ideas for producing energy cheaper, quicker and cleaner abound. And a steady stream of news articles, tweets and blog posts document it all.

March 13, 2015

Pipelines. You know they exist, but you might not know how they are being monitored, by whom and how often. British Columbia Forum on Tankers and Pipelines shares this easy to follow infographic explaining how pipelines are monitored and what triggers are in place if a leak or problem is detected.

March 12, 2015

“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind,” wrote English poet Rudyard Kipling almost a century ago. A look at today’s polarized energy discussion suggests Kipling’s insight to be true.

March 6, 2015

What does innovation in the energy sector look like? Hint: it’s not all taking place in a lab. From companies collaborating to advance environmental performance to reusing components found in tailings ponds to detecting hydrocarbon “noise” in the air, innovation comes in many different shapes and sizes. Celebrating innovation happening across the country, Alberta Oil magazine has compiled Canada’s Top Energy Innovators 2015. While only time will tell if these innovations, 26 to be exact, will all lead to great things, they’re sure to at least inspire the industry to further explore new opportunities.

Oil Sands Question and Response (OSQAR) is a blog created by Suncor Energy to support constructive dialogue about the oil sands. In our weekly posts, we talk about the energy industry, environmental impact, tailings management and reclamation, water management and the social and economic implications of oil sands development.

Our oil sands operations are near Fort McMurray, Alberta, where we recover bitumen from oil sands through mining and in situ operations. The bitumen from both operations is then upgraded to refinery-ready feedstock and diesel fuel. More about the where and the what of the oil sands can be found on our oil sands resource page.